


The Perfect Gift

by myaekingheart



Series: The Scarecrow and the Bell [5]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Anniversary, Discord: Kakashi Lounge, F/M, Fluff, Hokage Hatake Kakashi, Parent Hatake Kakashi, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26448790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myaekingheart/pseuds/myaekingheart
Summary: Rei and Kakashi's anniversary dinner takes an unexpected turn.(Standalone companion piece to The Scarecrow and the Bell)
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Natsuki Rei, Hatake Kakashi/Original Character(s), Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Scarecrow and the Bell [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1913203
Kudos: 9





	The Perfect Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 3 of the Kakashi Lounge Discord Server's September event.  
> Prompts: Happy Endings | Forgiveness | Hope | The Perfect Gift

Kakashi ruffled his daughter’s hair as they entered Kaminoki Bookshop, his in-laws anxiously awaiting their granddaughter’s arrival. Rei kissed Nariko’s chubby little cheek, instructing her “Be good for Grandma and Grandpa while we’re gone, okay?” Grinning, Nariko nodded once before wiggling out her father’s grasp and rushing toward Hana, affectionately slamming into her legs so as to nearly knock her off balance.

“I’m sure she’ll give us a run for our money” Yuruganai jested, patting her on the head.

“Are you sure you guys are okay with this?” Rei asked. As she rose to her feet, Kakashi placed a tender hand on the small of her back. “I know she can be a bit of a handful.”

Hana smiled affectionately back at her daughter, replying, “It’s no trouble at all! You know we love it when our little Nari visits.” She turned her gaze to her granddaughter then as she asked, her voice rising an octave, “And we’re going to have lots of fun tonight, aren’t we, sweetheart?”

“Yeah!” Nariko exclaimed, raising her arms up in the air. “We can watch movies, and bake cookies, and play lots of games, and stay up til the sun comes back out!”

Hana’s face grew pale at the prospect, chuckling nervously. “Well, we’ll see about that” she mused. Nariko fell back onto the floor in uproarious laughter, as if she knew she already had these old folks wrapped around her tiny little finger. There was no way they could say no.

The interaction was not particularly convincing for a mother as anxious as Rei. Yuruganai could see the clear uncertainty painting his daughter’s face, the way she bit her lip and watched her daughter giggle and kick her legs in the air. “Go. Enjoy your anniversary. We’ll be fine” he reassured.

“Thank you again for doing this” Kakashi replied. “We really appreciate it.” And truly, he did. Hana and Yuruganai’s investment in Nariko’s life was such a welcome relief, especially after their past skepticism of Kakashi and Rei’s relationship. Raising a child was difficult, especially one as rambunctious as Nariko, and they could use all the help they could get. While Kakashi truly loved every minute of being a father, he couldn’t remember the last time he and Rei had a night to themselves. They found romance in the little moments now: the sloppy morning kisses with a child’s knee in your face, the homecooked food after a long day of monotonous paperwork and chaotic games of hide and seek. The moments watching Nariko romp around the playground with the other children, and the way Kakashi would wrap an arm around his wife and kiss her cheek through his mask, his heart swelling with love for the little life they had created together. Fatherhood was everything he had ever wanted, and yet he could not deny that some nights he did, in fact, yearn for a break. If nothing else, Rei certainly deserved it.

At least for Kakashi, there were his hokage duties. It was still a massive responsibility but the job came with a very different type of stress. Rei never got a moment to herself. She never had the chance to step away from it all for something else. It was clear to Kakashi how especially exhausting being a stay-at-home mother was. He saw it in the dark circles under her eyes, her matted hair, the mess in the kitchen and the toys littering the floor. Kakashi did what he could but always feared it was never enough. She worked so hard. She deserved a quiet night of pampering with a fancy dinner she didn’t have to make herself, a non-animated film she could watch uninterrupted, and snuggles on the couch that did not involve a toddler’s slobber. If there was any night to do it, it was tonight.

Rei nestled into Kakashi’s embrace as they walked home slowly, enjoying the sunset and the cool March air. “Are you sure she’ll be alright, Kakashi?” she asked quietly. “I’m so worried about her.”

“Don’t be” Kakashi reassured her. “Everything will be fine.”

“I just feel so guilty about leaving her” Rei replied. “I mean, we spend every day together. Her and I are never without each other. I just…”—by now, Rei’s eyes had welled up with tears. She bit her lip as she looked back over her shoulder, Kaminoki fading into the distance. “I feel so selfish, like we’re abandoning her or something, I don’t know.”

Kakashi paused in the middle of the street. He brushed the long bangs back out of Rei’s face and tilted her chin up to look at him. “What are you crying for?” he asked softly. “I promise, Nariko is going to be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Rei asked. The look of concern in her eyes, the desperation on her face, was enough to break Kakashi’s heart.

“Positive” Kakashi reassured her. “She seemed more than happy about spending time with your parents. She’s resilient and adaptable. And there’s nothing selfish about taking a night for ourselves.” He caressed her cheek softly, hoping to exude some sense of calm. “You work so hard every day to take care of her, you shouldn’t feel bad for taking time for yourself. You can’t run on empty all the time, Rei. You deserve to relax.”

Rei sniffled and a pathetic little giggle broke past her lips. “I know. You’re right” she replied. “I just wish I didn’t feel so terrible about it.”

“It’ll be alright” Kakashi said. “Let’s just try to enjoy tonight as much as we can, okay? No more crying.” He grinned and kissed her on the forehead, squeezing her hand in silent support. Rei forced a smile and nodded. Truthfully, she didn’t want to take this away from him, either. He needed a break as much as she did.

They continued down the road in comfortable silence before, all at once, Rei giggled quietly and nudged Kakashi for his attention. “You know, I was thinking: I hope my parents can even handle her.”

Kakashi chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. Besides, they could handle you, couldn’t they? Nariko has to get her energy from _somewhere_.”

“Yeah” Rei laughed, mildly embarrassed. “If only I still had that much energy” she joked. She was positive she hadn’t had a full night’s sleep in four years. Looking back on her ANBU days, when she’d stay up until the wee morning hours only to wake up at dawn, it all seemed incomprehensible to her now. These days she could barely keep her eyes open brushing her teeth. Funny how creating a life can drain so much of your own.

Once they returned home, Kakashi guided Rei immediately into the bathroom with an all-knowing smirk. She watched quizzically as he began filling the tub and stirring in a copious amount of sweet-smelling body wash. Before she could ask him what this was all about, Kakashi glanced at her over his shoulder and replied, “A little relaxation never hurt anyone.” Rei could hardly stifle her laughter. She sat down on the edge of the tub and kissed his cheek. “Now you stew in here for a little bit while I go fix us some dinner” he insisted.

“Wow, I guess maybe we should leave Nariko at my parent’s place more often” Rei joked. She smiled at him over her shoulder as she undressed, watching him retreat back to the kitchen. Once he was gone, she sunk into the warm water and closed her eyes. Her head had been pounding all week, her stomach twisting into knots. She stretched her arms out in front of her, straightened her back, and hoped this would be enough to alleviate all of her aches and pains.

Rei had no idea how long she actually spent there, but by the time Kakashi had returned, her fingertips were wrinkled and waterlogged and her eyes had grown heavy. Her husband knocked musically and peeked his head through the doorway, announcing “Dinner’s ready!” Rei sat up and began rinsing the soap suds off her body, trying to snap out of her sleepy stupor. Kakashi crouched down beside her, cupping water in his hands to help wash away what she couldn’t reach. “So, did you enjoy your bath?” he asked, extending a hand to help her up.

“Mmhmm, it was—” Rei started, but as she stood up the room began to spin. Her breath hitched in her throat as she fell onto Kakashi for support. His eyes immediately widened, holding her close as he helped her step over the edge of the tub and then wrapped her in a cozy towel.

“Are you okay?” he asked. He sat her slowly down on the lidded toilet, watching as she blinked and tried to gain her bearings.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine” she replied. “I just…got a little dizzy for a second.” Kakashi cocked a brow in concern. She may have insisted she was fine, but her face looked so pale and her hands were trembling in her lap. She sucked in a deep breath and smoothed her wet hair back. When she noticed he was staring at her, Rei pasted a fake grin on her face and added, “Really, I’m fine. I think all the hot water just fucked with my blood pressure or something. Probably doesn’t help that I’ve been tired.”

“Was the water too hot for you?” Kakashi asked. “You should’ve said something. I could’ve cooled it down if it—”

“No, really!” Rei interrupted, perhaps a little too abruptly. “I said it was fine.”

“Okay…” Kakashi replied. He was not at all convinced but he knew better than to press her for answers. Especially when she seemed so on edge. He wanted tonight to be perfect and starting an argument or triggering a panic attack was the exact opposite of those intentions.

Once she had calmed down, he watched with great focus as she slowly stood up and made her way into the bedroom. She peered at him over her shoulder, teased a tiny smirk, before dropping her towel and asking, “So do you want me to get dressed or should we eat dinner with our clothes off?”

Kakashi’s cheeks burned as he ruffled his hair and replied, “I wouldn’t be opposed to either.”

“Hmm” Rei hummed before finally turning to her drawers and pulling out a cute pair of underwear and one of Kakashi’s old shirts. “Well then maybe I’ll make you work for it, just to make things interesting” she said as she slipped his shirt over her head. It was one of the ones he wore back when he was a jonin leader, part of the since-outdated uniform. It fell to almost mid-thigh on her small frame, but fit tighter in the bust on account of her figure. When she turned around, the lace hem of her panties just barely showed from beneath the hem. Kakashi bit his bottom lip as she approached, lacing her fingers with his, then walked alongside him into the kitchen.

On the table, a simple dinner awaited them by candlelight. A vase of her favorite flowers served as the centerpiece and for dessert, there was mochi—the kind with a whole orange inside. He knew how much she loved those. Toshio’s nose poked over the edge, sniffing for snacks, but Kakashi quickly shooed him away. Leaving Toshio alone with food was risky but he was not about to let the dog ruin all of his hard work. He pulled Rei’s chair out for her before settling in himself.

Rei’s stomach growled in desperation as she picked up her chopsticks and surveyed her food. She locked eyes with Kakashi as they said in unison _itadakimasu_ before digging in. The food was nothing Kakashi hadn’t made before: the typical rice, miso soup, and nitsuke—his specialty. This time, however, the fish in particular was overwhelming. It’s dead face and gaping mouth made her stomach churn. She picked apart a small piece, nibbled, then clapped her hand over her mouth. Kakashi paused mid-chew, staring at her in concern, as she flung her chopsticks on the table and staggered to the bathroom.

“R-Rei..?!” he called after her. The panic in his voice was almost palpable. She threw the lid up and fell before the toilet, gripping the seat with white knuckles. Kakashi gave Toshio one quick warning glare before racing after her. “Rei, are you alright?!” he asked. He skidded up next to her, resting a hand on her lower back as she heaved and wept. He refused to leave her side the entire time, one hand constantly rubbing her back as the other rummaged through the counter drawers for anti-nausea medicine. Once she was done, he soaked a towel in cold water and pressed it to her forehead while he prepared a cup of water and a dose of chalky pink medicine. “Are you alright?” he asked.

She hated the way he was looking at her, the absolute fear and concern on his face. Was she alright? How was she even supposed to answer him? She had been feeling sore and sick for weeks, but had just chalked it up to sleep deprivation. It had happened before, it made perfect sense. But she had her suspicions, too. This episode only further cemented them in her mind. So was she alright? Shaking her head, Rei huffed and whispered, “Kakashi, I think something’s wrong.”

The word _wrong_ struck him hard in the chest. “Was it the fish? The man at the market said it was fresh, but he had this look in his eyes that made me unsure. Maybe I should start an investigation. Maybe he’s trying to poison me to get me out of office. Not that I’m a stranger to death threats but—”

“Kakashi, stop” Rei interrupted, lifting her palm in emphasis. Her hands were shaking again. “I’ve been feeling questionable since long before the fish was on the table.”

Kakashi blinked. “W-what do you mean…?”

Running her fingers through her hair, Rei stretched her legs out in front of her and locked her eyes on the grout lines in the floor. She didn’t particularly want to say it, because saying it would make it feel all the more real, but she couldn’t dismiss it any longer. “K-Kakashi…Kakashi, I think I might be pregnant again.”

A jolt of panic rushed through Kakashi’s body. It took him a moment to register what, exactly, she had just said. It wasn’t like they were trying to conceive, but they also weren’t _not_ trying. Perhaps that was the biggest mistake of all: the carelessness. But they had become so tired, it wasn’t worth the effort to pull out anymore. Hell, whatever intimate time they even had anymore was often spent half-asleep in lazy positions. They simply did not have the energy to try.

A long moment of silence passed before Rei immediately gripped the edge of the toilet again. Her entire body was shaking now and her breath was labored. “Oh god, Kakashi, please say something” she whined.

“S-sorry” he murmured, trying to gain his bearings. “A-are you sure?” he finally asked.

“I don’t know, I really don’t know” she whimpered, pressing a hand to her forehead. “I thought I was just burnt out or coming down with the flu or something but then I started thinking about it and I can’t even remember when my last period was. I’ve been so busy, I lost track and then tonight happened and I just—” Tears were threatening to fall again as she choked on her own voice. Kakashi frowned empathetically before scooting nearer and pulling her into his arms.

“Do you want me to run to the drugstore and pick up a pregnancy test?” he asked. “I can do that for you if it’d make you feel better.” Sniffling, Rei buried her face against his chest and nodded.

“I think that might be for the best” she whispered. Kakashi cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead. He hated to leave her like this but he was not going to pretend like they did not need answers. And as much as he hated the thought of what rumors would fly at the sight of the hokage buying pregnancy tests, he hated even more seeing Rei so distraught. He asked her if there was anything else she needed before giving her one last kiss and rushing out the door. In their absence, Toshio had leapt onto the table and was halfway finished with their food but at this point, Kakashi couldn’t have cared less. There were far more important things at stake now.

When he returned, it was nightfall and Rei was curled up on the couch with a trash can by her side. Toshio had situated himself at her feet, his heavy head resting on her thigh. If Kakashi had to leave her, at least he could always count on her faithful canine to watch over her. The moment he unlocked the door, Rei sat up expectantly. He could see the anxiety immediately rush to her face. Toshio tilted his head around and barked a hello, spotted tongue lopping out of the side of his mouth.

“I got the four pack” Kakashi said, holding up the box. “Just to be safe. There was a coupon.”

_There was a coupon_. Perhaps it was just the ridiculousness of the situation, but Rei couldn’t help but laugh. It was always in the most dire of times, it seemed, that the stupidest things became suddenly so funny. After all, in a matter of minutes, things likely were not going to feel so funny anymore.

Rei forced herself to chug the last of her water despite still feeling incredibly sick. Her mounting anxiety was surely not helping her cause. She sat on the edge of the tub as she ripped open the box and pulled out one of the tests. The mere sight of it was enough to make her gag again. Kakashi rested a gentle hand on her knee.

“You ready?” he asked.

“I don’t really have a choice” she replied. Without another moment of hesitation, she pulled down her underwear and proceeded to go to the bathroom. At least her bladder had been working overtime, so taking the test required no extra waiting on her part. Once she was finished, she put the test face down on a wad of toilet paper on the counter and sighed. Kakashi set a timer for five minutes. “And now we wait.”

Kakashi gave a single nod as she went and sat beside him on the edge of the tub. “Are you alright?” he asked.

“We’ll see” Rei replied. Then, with a bitter laugh, she added, “Well, isn’t this romantic? Happy anniversary, sweetheart, here’s my piss on a stick!”

Shaking his head, Kakashi wrapped his arm around his wife and pulled her close. “I wouldn’t want it any other way” he jested.

“Yeah, okay” Rei scoffed. After a few moments, however, her bitterness faded into dejection. Dropping her head back, Rei inhaled sharply and whispered, “God, this sucks.”

Kakashi rubbed her shoulder. “Are you mad at me?” he asked quietly.

“I’m mad at myself” Rei replied. “I just…fuck, I’m so sorry, Kakashi.”

“What are you sorry for?” he asked. His voice was dripping with sympathy, his gaze soft and gentle. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“But I ruined our anniversary dinner” Rei argued. She could feel the tears pricking at the back of her eyes yet again. She refused to let herself cry this time. She felt so pathetic. “Tonight was supposed to be special. Everything should’ve been perfect but…but then I had to go and puke in the middle of dinner and start…all of _this._ ” Here, she crudely motioned to what had become of their bathroom: toilet seat propped up, towels on the floor, medication littering the counter. And of course that stupid little pregnancy test.

Kakashi drew her close and kissed her temple, nuzzled her cheek. “It’s okay” he replied. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I promise.”

Rei turned and buried her face in his chest. Voice muffled, she asked, “Kakashi, what are we going to do?”

“Well, what do you want to do?” he asked. “Though we really can’t make any decisions until we know for sure.”

Shaking her head, Rei whined, “I don’t know! I haven’t thought this through. I never considered this could happen. I’ve been so focused on what’s going on right now, and Nariko is so much work, I just—” Her voice was starting to rise in octave as her hands shook again. This whole situation was so overwhelming. She needed a plan. She felt so unprepared.

“I know, Rei. It’s okay” Kakashi whispered. He squeezed her tight and ran his fingers through her hair, brushing her bangs back out of her face. He could feel how rapidly her heart was beating through her chest and truthfully, he didn’t blame her. He had never considered this possibility either. Now that they were staring it in the face, however, a strange feeling had taken root in his chest. “You know” he said quietly, “I almost kind of hope the test is positive.”

Rei automatically leaned back to stare at him in confusion. “You do?” she asked.

“Mmhmm” he replied. “The thought of having another baby is kind of exciting. We may not have planned for this, but we can do things right this time. No wars to worry about. I’ll be right here the entire time. I think we’re in a good position to care for another child. I’m sure Nariko will be happy for the company. I think we’re ready, Rei. Maybe all of this is happening the way it’s supposed to.”

Rei considered his words for a moment. She supposed he had a point. Things were so much calmer now than when she was pregnant with Nariko. They were secure financially, professionally, and in their relationship. Pursing her lips, Rei dropped her eyes to the floor, placed a hand upon her stomach, muttered, “I mean, another baby would be kind of nice. I always thought we’d have a second child eventually anyway.”

Tilting her chin up to face him, Kakashi looked her in the eyes and whispered meaningfully, “I will do everything I can to take the best possible care of you. All of you. I promise.” As much as he believed he was a good father, he knew there were areas where he was lacking. All of that was going to change now, though. He needed to invest more time in caring for his family. He needed to pick up the slack at home and create a much more balanced division of household duties. One in which Rei was not so overloaded with work just because she was home all the time. Even if the test came back negative and things went back to normal, she deserved better and he knew that. He only wished that it hadn’t take a scare like this to truly remind him of that.

Before any more could be said, the timer went off. Rei went rigid, immediately gripping Kakashi’s hand tight. “Oh god, I don’t think I can look” she whispered, eyes locked on the test awaiting her attention.

“It’s okay” Kakashi reassured her. “Whatever the answer is, we’ll be ready. We can do this.” He was so confident, so certain and sweet. Even if she herself was terrified, Kakashi’s support made Rei believe that maybe they could, in fact, handle this. After all, she wasn’t alone in this. They were a team. They were in this together. Whatever the future held before them, they would face hand in hand.

Sucking in a deep breath, Rei cringed and flipped the test over. It took her a minute for the result to register. She stared at it dumbfounded, eyes wide and unblinking, before her hand clapped over her mouth. Kakashi couldn’t read her expression.

“What? What does it say?” he urged.

Rei’s hand trembled. A strange and unexpected happiness rooted itself deep in her chest, rising up out of her throat in the form of an incredulous laugh. Turning her gaze away from the test, she whispered, “Kakashi…it’s positive.”

Kakashi blinked, trying to make sure he heard her right. “It’s…it’s positive…?” he asked in disbelief.

Rei nodded slowly, biting her lip to fight the small smile weaseling its way onto her lips. Her eyes were glossy and wide, her mouth agape. “It’s positive” she repeated. “I guess we’re really having a baby after all.”

Overwhelmed with happiness, Kakashi leapt to his feet and pulled her into a tight hug. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and she could feel his hot, happy tears against her skin. It wasn’t until then that she realized she was crying, too. Suddenly nothing else mattered. Not the stress or the exhaustion, not the fact that Toshio had completely eaten all of their dinner. Curious about the commotion, he nudged the door open to peek inside, sniffing at the air and barking as if in congratulations. Rei turned to look at him, a laugh escaping her, as she urged him to come nearer. She reached down to scratch behind his ear, musing, “Looks like you’re going to have one more baby to protect.”

Toshio, as if in staunch approval, barked and began spinning and leaping happily. In a place as small as their bathroom, however, this left little room for anything else. But Kakashi and Rei couldn’t even be bothered.

“I guess we’ll have to find a way to tell Nariko” Rei whispered, settling into her husband’s arms. “I wonder how she’s going to take being a big sister.”

“I think she’ll be happy” Kakashi assured her. “She’ll never have to worry about being alone.”

Nodding, Rei snuggled up close, resting her head against Kakashi’s chest. “Yeah…that’s good” she whispered. “She’s such a social butterfly, I think a sibling would be good for her.”

Kakashi smiled down at his wife and his heart overflowed. All those years of turmoil and distance could never have prepared him for what was in store. How did he deserve a life such as this? With a beautiful wife and daughter, a warm home, an unbelievable job, and now another baby on the way? He thought of his father, of how proud the White Fang of the Leaf would be. If only he could’ve met his grandchildren. If only he could’ve seen all that Kakashi had accomplished. He was so, so blessed.

“I love you so much, Rei” he whispered, hugging her close.

“I love you, too, Kakashi” she whispered back.

And in those quiet moments, on the cusp of something wonderful, Kakashi was certain he had never been happier. This was everything he had ever wanted. He couldn’t have asked for more—and on their anniversary, even. A celebration of their love, of the commitment they had made to one another. Of everything good in the world, everything he thought he never deserved. This was truly the perfect gift.


End file.
